Written by Mark James Miller

One hundred nine dancers, aged four through 48. Ten weeks of rehearsals. Planning that began last November. Dances from 12 regions of Mexico.

Thirteen dances altogether, then a grand finale. Dancers from Allan Hancock College, Santa Maria, Pioneer Valley, and Righetti High Schools. Enough energy emanating from the stage to power a city.

Beautiful costumes reflecting every color imaginable. Allan Hancock College’s Ballet Folklorico is a dazzling, eye-filling spectacle of dynamism, color, and beauty.

“It went extremely well,” said Artistic Director Monique Segura, who oversaw the entire project from start to finish. “Ballet Folklorico brings the community together.”

The show, which ran from May 1-3 in Boyd Concert Hall, sold out its last performance to the point where extra chairs had to be brought in from the lobby.

“The Ballet Folklorico shows Hancock’s commitment to the community and also to the world,” according to Shandy Mann, who teaches dance at Hancock and choreographed the “Salsa” section of the program. “So many people appreciate the art of dance.”

That they do, for folk dancing is a universal custom, found worldwide. From an Irish jig to a Hawaiian hula, people all over the planet celebrate their cultural roots, their heritage, and their history through traditional dances.

“I like to move,” said Mann. “I don’t like to sit still.” 

A professional dancer in her native Taiwan, she designed the costumes and created the steps for the Salsa performance, as well as the lighting, which changes with each move the dancers make. Filled with energy and passion, Salsa reflects the zest for life associated with Latin cultures.

Folk dancing helps a culture retain its identity in the face of adversity. This was especially poignant in the “Danza Azteca” part of the program.

Dancers, dressed in traditional Aztec costumes, performed steps reflecting the indigenous roots of Mexican culture, roots that date back prior to the arrival of the Europeans in the 16th century.

For Segura, the Ballet Folklorico is the culmination of a journey that began when she started to dance at four years old. At 16 she was teaching dance at Adkins’ Dance Center, and she has been teaching dance and choreographing for almost 40 years.

A longtime member of Hancock College’s dance faculty, she has taken part in the college’s “Dimensions In Dance,” “Dance Spectrum,” and the annual “Summer Production.” But her biggest challenge has been overseeing the Ballet Folklorico.

“It was a collaborative effort,” she says, and went out of her way to acknowledge her “huge team of support.” One of the biggest obstacles she faced was adapting Boyd Concert Hall — which was designed for musical productions — to accommodate a dance program.

“We had a lot to change with the lighting, which is so important for a program like ours, and deal with the fact that there is only one exit,” when two are needed for the dancers to go on and off the stage in an orderly manner.

A new floor had to be put on the stage, one that could handle the weight of the dancers and the pounding of their shoes as they performed one energetic dance number after another.

Other challenges presented themselves. Each region has its own style of dress, and some that were on hand could be altered, in some cases to fit the dancers, but others had to be ordered from Olvera Street in Los Angeles.

As if that wasn’t enough, Segura had to oversee publicity for the show, and work with campus graphics to create a poster. For a first time director this was a monumental amount of work, but her care and dedication paid off in an obvious labor of love.

Mark James Miller is an adjunct English instructor at Allan Hancock College, and the President of the Part-Time Faculty Association.